Her Tears
by leelee3
Summary: In the not-so-talked-about timeline where Imperfect Cell actually kills Mirai Trunks, a mother mourns for the loss of her son.


Her Tears  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z or anything related to it except this fic right here. Yeah. I came up with the plot all by myself. Yes, be amazed at my brilliance...^_^  
  
Summary: In the not-so-talked-about timeline where Imperfect Cell actually kills Mirai Trunks, a mother mourns the loss of her only son.  
  
Warnings: Angst, character death  
  
Author's Notes: It's been a while since I've posted a DBZ fic here, but this scenario has been sitting in my mind for months. I decided to write it down so it would finally leave me alone... I just hope no one's actually written something like this before...that would totally ruin my day. Lol. Does anyone even remember that shortly mentioned timeline that Cell talked about with Piccolo?  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"Be careful, Trunks."  
  
"Yes, mother, I know."  
  
The genius inventor brushed cerulean strands from her face and focused matching eyes onto her son. Her lips curled into a crooked smile, amused with her child's exasperation. It had to have been the thousandth time that she had stated that very sentence to him, but he was her only son. She couldn't help but worry.  
  
Trunks stood at the base of the yellow egg-shaped capsule that would soon take him back in time to the world that had allowed him to meet the loved ones he never knew. Having destroyed the androids and aided in the commencing of a restoration era in his own world, he and his mother decided that he should journey to the less devastated timeline to share the good news. He smiled to himself, excited at the prospect of again seeing those who had become family to him during his previous visit. His mother reached her arms out to him, wanting to hug him one last time before he departed. He rolled his eyes good-naturedly and accepted her embrace.  
  
"I'm proud of you, son. You know that, right?"  
  
Trunks tightened his hold around his mother, still careful not to exert too much of his newly acquired strength and crush her. He felt her take in a shuddering breath and knew that she was straining to prevent herself from crying. She wrapped her arms around him more firmly, pressing the sword he wore into his back. As Trunks noticed with slight surprise the tears threatening to spill from his own eyes, he released her from his arms.  
  
"It's not like I'm walking to my death, mom," he said with a light smile. "I'll be back soon."  
  
Bulma wiped at her eyes and returned the smile. "You'd better." Trunks nodded to her and floated to the top of the capsule, pressing a button. The glass dome pulled back, allowing him to seat himself within the time machine. He looked down, smiling at his mother as she backed away from the large machine. Just as he moved to sit, a strange energy signal invaded his senses. He jerked his head to the side, a frown on his face, and searched for the body that housed the bizarre ki.  
  
Bulma tilted her head to the side, wondering why her son was hesitating. Recognizing the expression on Trunks' face for what it was, she crinkled her eyebrows. Potential danger was near.  
  
Trunks turned his head in her direction. "MOM!!" He tensed his muscles, about to rush towards her, but he was too slow, and Bulma was knocked face- first to the ground. He growled deeply in his throat, staring at the green bug-like monster that stood over his still mother.  
  
The spotted being smirked, slowly walking towards the time machine. Trunks descended to the dusty earth and focused an angered glare at the creature. He noticed movement from Bulma out of the corner of his eye and relaxed only slightly. "Who are you?" he asked, his tone dangerous.  
  
"My name is Cell," it replied with a voice like nails scraping against a chalkboard. "I came for Androids 17 and 18, though it seems that I won't be able to find them here."  
  
Trunks sneered. "Yes, I defeated them."  
  
"Too bad." Cell's smirk widened, its long tail swishing lazily.  
  
Bulma's eyes widened as she watched from a few yards away. She struggled to her feet, searching for her voice to warn her son. "Trunks!! His tail!! Watch his tail!!!"  
  
Cell emitted a wicked laugh as his tail struck with lightning quickness, the lengthy appendage extending to wrap around Trunks' neck. A strained gurgle escaped the lavender-haired man's throat. Cell grinned maliciously, delighting in the pain he was causing. His tail squeezed harder, and Trunks' eyes widened, his shaky hands reaching up to grasp the scaly flesh.  
  
Bulma watched in horror, as her only son was tortured in front of her. Mentally ordering her legs to move, she sprinted to Cell, endangering her own life to try to save her son's. Cell didn't bother to glance in her direction as he swatted her to the side as if she were no more than an irritating fly. The impact threw her several feet away, and she landed on her back with a thud.  
  
Groaning, she pushed herself to her elbows and coughed, blood splattering onto the dirt. Focusing her eyes, she stared, dread tying knots in her stomach, as Cell continued to slowly murder her son. Cell crushed his tail firmly around Trunks' neck, enough to close his throat so that only the smallest amounts of air could reach his lungs. Trunks' deep blue eyes rolled to the back of his head, his skin tinted a purplish hue.  
  
The savage smile never disappeared from Cell's lips as the seconds ticked by. Finally, Trunks' oxygen-starved lungs could suffer no more, and he collapsed limply within Cell's grip. The purple-crowned head lolled to the side, sapphire eyes closing forever. Cell cackled maniacally and tossed Trunks to the ground. The insect-esque beast turned amused eyes to Bulma.  
  
"It seems my business is done here."  
  
Cell leaped into the air and tried to fit itself into the time machine. Finding his bulk too large, Cell pushed buttons, then regressed itself to its egg stage. As it did so, its body pressed against the button that closed the lid to the machine. The yellow apparatus lifted to the atmosphere, and Bulma stared through bleary eyes as it disappeared in a flash of white light.  
  
Bulma's body trembled as she slowly crawled to her son's lifeless form. Tears slipped down her cheeks; her eyes stared disbelievingly at the still body. "Trunks..."  
  
Trails of saline water dripped from her face to mix with the dirt beneath her. She reached out a hand, tracing her fingertips across his skin. She cupped her son's face in her palm, and placed a motherly kiss on his nose. A sob escaped her as she leaned her forehead against Trunks', mentally damning Cell to the fiery circles of hell.  
  
She gathered her son in her arms and held him close to her chest, stroking his pale hair. "Trunks..." she repeated, half-hoping her whispered voice could breathe life into her recently slain child.  
  
A droplet of water tapped her on the head. Bulma leaned her head back, dull eyes barely taking note of the dark clouds that filled the sky. She continued to stare blankly as the darkening heavens opened to release tears of their own. The rain fell lightly at first, then pelted the earth below.  
  
Bulma clutched Trunks' body tighter, digging her nails into the denim jacket he still wore. She bit her quivering bottom lip and closed her eyes. "Trunks..."  
  
She allowed another sob to spill from her lips. The rain drummed against her, soaking her, though she paid her drenched frame no mind. Her head still tilted back, she squeezed her eyelids together and clenched her teeth. Memories of her son and the time they had spent together flitted across her mind's eye.  
  
As the last string of denial she had been holding onto snapped, the full impact of her loss finally registered. Her eyes flew open, still seeing her smiling son's face in front of her. Fresh tears combined with the rain on her face, and she stretched her mouth to cry her anguish to the sky.  
  
Her grief filled her completely; her pain was inescapable. Her wail continued after her, even when her voice no longer sounded, her throat raw and sore. The clouds wept for her when her tears had run dry.  
  
She gazed at the lifeless body in her lap and pushed wet hair from her son's face. Her hope faded as she stared at his unmoving form. Her son would never awaken. Her desperate cries would never reach his ears. Her denial would never halt his departing soul.  
  
Her only son had fought death and lost, and her tears would never bring him back.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Pretty short and kinda sucky. Sorry about that. ^^;;;; Tell me what you think, though. I'd love to hear your opinions! ^-^ 


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